Which Ball / Gel Pen Comes Closest To Fountain Pen Experience?

[Estycollector]

Pilot Precise V5

[como]

Well, I am glad that the OP question was not framed as “which fountain pen comes closest to a ball or gel pen experience”... it would be almost like voting for the worst ever.

[Savit]

Well, I am glad that the OP question was not framed as “which fountain pen comes closest to a ball or gel pen experience”... it would be almost like voting for the worst ever.

This was nice

[Savit]

If you're talking about the no pressure feel of the nib against the paper, I've always found that porous tip pens like the Sharpie feel pretty similar to fountain pens.

Ya, this is what I had in mind - holding lightly and gliding on paper.

Thanks,

[Savit]

In answer to toe original question, Pentel's 1.0 'ENERGEL' is closest in action, ink flow, and writing comfort for me.

Thanks, will try it out..

[flatline]

Pilot Precise V5

These are some of my favorite pens because I think they feel the most like a pencil against the paper.

[lurcho]

My favourite non-fountain pen is the Uniball Vision Elite. No other rollerball comes close to it in wetness, consistency of line, or in its ability to write satisfactorily on any paper.

 

Unfortunately, as with most wet rollers, it simply doesn't last very long. And my experiments at refilling the blighters have had mixed results.

 

If it were cheaply and easily refillable, I would seriously consider using this pen instead of FPs, because the feel is close enough, in my view.

Edited September 1, 2020 by lurcho

[Estycollector]

I've have a vintage, circa mid '70's Parker Jotter coming and bought Parker's Quink gel refills to see how they perform together. For sometime I've wanted a vintage, more well contructed pen with modern rollerball type ink experience.

[sansenri]

I occasionally use rollerballs.

The experience is not the same, but at least writing is smooth and flow is good.

To interpret the question in a different way, if my rollerballs look like fountain pens, and nice ones too, that helps.

[Savit]

I occasionally use rollerballs.

The experience is not the same, but at least writing is smooth and flow is good.

To interpret the question in a different way, if my rollerballs look like fountain pens, and nice ones too, that helps.

This is a nice pen. Which brand and model is this?

[sansenri]

This is a nice pen. Which brand and model is this?

This is an Omas Milord in grey resin, from an earlier Arte Italiana series.

Whilst the fountain pens are now very rare, the rollerballs and ballpoints are still relatively available.

These are obviously not cheap rollerballs, but still relatively affordable when compared to the FP versions.

[Mysterious Mose]

I've noticed something about handwriting position which is relevant to this thread.

 

I hold a ballpoint pen at a more vertical angle than I hold a fountain pen. I.e. I hold a fountain pen at a lower, more relaxed position than I hold a ballpoint pen. I also tend to apply more pen-to paper pressure on a ballpoint pen. I apply almost no pressure on fountain pens. I don't think I have any rollerball pens.

 

Could these differences be due to a ballpoint pen's sweet spot being lower down than a fountain pen's? Could it be because the pressure and vertical hold are necessary for multi-paper copies, especially carbon paper?

 

I wonder if I could relearn how to hold a ballpoint pen?

 

If I use different handwriting positions, is it because of the actual mechanical nature of ballpoint pens? If so, would any pens, such as rollerball pens, write like fountain pens, so that I could hold them as fountain pens?

[Estycollector]

I am enjoying the mid '70's Parker Jotter with a Parker gel refill.

[jrhudgins]

The closest that I have found are good rollerballs. I have had Mont Blanc (Boheme, 146) for years, and find the 146 very "familiar" to write with. However, the Mont Blanc refills seem either slightly too fine(F) or slightly too wet (M), though the latter is so smooth. My experience with Monteverde refills has been hit or miss.

I recently bought an Aurora Optima rollerball, and it has become my favorite, just as the Optima fountain pens moved to the top of my most used list. The Aurora refill is excellent, and I will try the Schmidt next.

[DonLeone]

Got a Visconti Rembrandt midnight Violet or something like that. Used it twice in 1-2 years. Both times to sign something when they were adamant that I use a "pen" pen. It has black ink and that wasn't good so I had to use their blue carving stick instead. I should swap to a blue refill but really can't be bothered.

[Theroc]

I don't think any ball-tipped writing system can ever emulate a fountain pen.

It's roll vs glide.

Refillable rollers let you take advantage of the vast selection of FP inks available, which is part of the fountain pen experience, I suppose.

Other than that, capillary tips (fiber, felt) come closer to the writing experience of a fountain pen. Pentel Tradio and Parker 5TH are two of the better options available.